Beginners Guide to Sailing - An Introduction

This is a basic beginners guide to how boats sail, parts of a boat, points of sail and a triangular course.
Key insights
⛵️ The wind is both the power source and the brake for a boat, determining its ability to sail and move through the water.
⛵ The sails on a boat are like an engine, providing power and acceleration.
🌬️ Adjusting the shape of the sail and controlling the wind flow with ropes and strings is essential for optimising the boat's speed and direction.
🌬️ Pointing the nose of the boat away from the wind while keeping the sail in the same position can lead to instability and the risk of capsizing due to the wind pushing on the side of the boat.
🌬️ Positioning the sail correctly in relation to the wind is crucial for maximising its effectiveness and speed.
🌬️ When doing a jibe, it's important to be positive about where you're going and keep adjusting the sail to maintain balance and avoid capsizing.
🌬️ The direction of the wind affects the boat's position and requires adjusting the sail and using the rudder to navigate effectively.
⛵️ Sailboats can go in all directions except straight into the wind, but the wind is crucial in helping you stop the boat and determine your position.

[@xenu-dark-tony]

As a total novice of 64 yrs old I watched this and came away enlightened. Then i read the other comments and realised that so did everyone else. That is a remarkable success story, and totally well-deserved. Thank you.

[@wescraiglow7688]

This is a best "truly beginner" video I've seen. Thank you for putting this together.

[@katemceachen3674]

I agree, it was great!

[@soluniverse8]

Wes could you make a playlist for us new kids on the block? or know any online resources that can help further a newb ? Im diving in deep knowing nothing from the start.

[@66Supertrucker]

Of all the videos Ive watched, this one made complete sense to me.

[@dearyvettetn4489]

Hands down the best explainer of tacking and jibing I’ve heard. I get it, now. Thanks

[@swishswish386]

What a fabulous tutorial. Easy to understand, well presented and with no unnecessary self indulgent nautical waffle, just the facts and what you need to know. Well done and thank you !

[@user-vs6yy4ll2z]

One of best lessons! Easy to understand.

[@LoanwordEggcorn]

Very clear explanations. Well done, mate! Minor correction: trimming or easing a sail may change its shape but the main purpose is to adjust the relationship of the sail to the wind. As you hint, the kicker (boom vang) and other lines attached to the sail are used to change its shape. Obviously I know you know that but misspoke. That very minor error aside, it's a real gift to be able to explain things clearly. Thanks for sharing!

[@ansuz444]

I was about to throw my hands up and at finding a place to start learning. And then I found your videos. Thank you Good sir! You are most appreciated.

[@MladenMijatov]

That initial image with bunch of arrows was a bit overwhelming and then I saw everything explained properly step by step. Very good!

[@louisniel1266]

Great tutorial!!! I sailed a Sunfish 40 years ago. Buying another one and wanted a refresher. This is perfect!!!

[@muhammadmasterminders]

Very apt delivery! Some video on KZbin are more difficult to comprehend than the topic they're explaining

[@zeea320]

Yours is my first video on sailing ....thank you so clearly explained.

[@murphyjammusashi]

Geat video for a novice sailor like me, very informative. Thank you.

[@pringlw]

Wonderful video. Rey well done. The best I’ve yet seen for a Beginner 101

[@NearlyNativeNursery]

The best demo of sailing principles I have ever seen. Thanks for posting this video.

[@MusicMike99]

This is the easiest video to understand of all the videos I've watched so far. The illustrations are very helpful. Thank you!

[@oscarc7853]

This is the best 2 min video on beginning sailing I've seen. I know it's longer, but that's how long it took his voice to lull me to sleep. I play this for my kids now. Works every time.

[@YeadonSailingClub]

Glad it helps, perhaps you should consider a job in comedy.

[@gregnicholls8347]

Wonderfully comfortable voice beautifully explaining the basics of sailing believes the trepidation I suffered every time I set sail. But then I did self teach at over 60 years old in a congested little harbour.

[@dgillphotos]

Great explanation! Leave it to the British to teach sailing in a simple, proper and quick way!

[@pauloconnor2980]

If it was a Yank teaching this, it would be 99% bullshit.

[@muhammadmasterminders]

A'least we maidit to the Americas m8

[@patrickmurphy9266]

I enjoyed NO loud music also . Clearly explained. Thank you

[@DaveJohnEllis]

Great example of a tutorial video, clear friendly tone, good visual aids and it gets across the message really well. My wife felt this was by far the best sailing tutorial she has seen and has helped her understand the basics which she previously struggled with

[@TheConjuror]

I have been on many boats but I've never sailed before, but will be soon when a friend takes me out on his boat. I was looking for a little bit of info to start off with and stumbled across this video. Very clear and easy to understand. Can't wait to get out on the water now!!

[@NateSail82]

Thank you, this made more sense than 3 hours of previous instruction.

[@YeadonSailingClub]

Hi, this video was created by Yeadon Sailing Club using Active Presenter, Illustrations by YSC and onscreen boat tool Sail Board by Yeadon Sailing Club www.yeadonsailingclub.co.uk/sailboard/

[@homefront3162]

yeadonsailingclub Great!!

[@TheSpektacle]

Excellent! Nice voice (and pace) to listen too, thanks

[@markr8904]

I haven't got on the water yet.I found this most helpful.Other books and videos I've seen can't illustrate the wind because it's invisible.This video shows it as clear as can be.I learned a lot from this.

[@VIEW-ut3bu]

Fairly easy to grasp, Thank you !!! Fourth video of this kind I have watched. I Revisit often

[@marcoaverono6323]

That was what I’ve been searching for for months. Straight concise commentary that makes total sense. Legend 👌🏽

[@wadepatton2433]

The animation tools being used here are brilliant. I learned by going out on a sloop one night a thousand years ago. Then I bought a sloop--and learned the finer points simply by sailing it ('tweren't no internet). 25 years later, I'm just refreshing and maybe learning things I never knew. Sailors are rare this far inland. Oh wow, now I know that I need to go sail triangular courses!

[@olivei2484]

@@gregorywebster9903 Did you get the boat? Never too late to learn things. I sail a dinghy and having a blast. Too much fun.

[@DePistolero]

Thank you!! I've never sailed in my life, but am about to, this really rings the bells when it comes to theoretical understanding of this. Thank you!!!

[@RobertPeru2749]

I was just curious about sailing although I'm disabled and never plan on actually doint it but, I have to say, this video has to be the most easily understood of all the one's I've watched. Good Job.

[@mikesoertsz4501]

Seriously best and clearest explanation I've seen. Took me 2 weeks plus getting the boom across my neck to understand half of this when I first started.

[@waltercabral871]

This video is really fantastic, easy to understand, well done and thank you !

[@campdaddy5096]

finally a “beginner” sailing vid that i get. thank you🙏🏽

[@waitingforit3386]

New dinghy sailor here and I have been out once. This video was so helpful and easy to understand. It’s the best I have seen so far. Thanks so much! I can’t wait to go out again!

[@TMAdventuresT7]

What a excellent informative lesson, much obliged for sharing

[@cheerio3847]

Well done, in 10 minutes you cleared up what a full learn to sail book confused! I had some of it, but not as well integrated or a whole single picture like you just showed. The movable boat graphic really helped me see it, and gybe vs tack - never had it shown so well. I somehow never got that it was which part of the boat ( bow vs stern ) moved past the wind, not left / right. I would just move the sail never knowing which term to use! I called everything a tack if the boom was moving sides!

[@Eurus721]

Straight forward and makes perfect use of the graphics. Excellent

[@J0B-]

best video i have seen ...watched some a hour long and was no better at knowing how to set main now in a few minutes it all clicks in place ...thank you very much.

[@pride1665]

Excellent video to get a clear understanding of the basics

[@amateureconomics5734]

I have yet to see these concepts better explained. A big thank you.

[@tomsullivan2561]

Very good video. I didn't know how Gybe was spelt. I would like to sggest showing the triangle made by the 123 buoys and then show a circle around the bouys and then show the need to tack.

[@vanhyde1513]

Wow, I feel ready to sail after this...thanks, awesome vid.

[@2in2008]

Really well done! Thanks for this!

[@OhHiThereLadies]

I simply enjoy and read a lot of age-of-sail books (Aubrey and the like), but the sailing language for the unaware can of course be obtuse, even when inferred. this video is really fantastic as a strong and clear visual explanation -- one of the best and most poignant I've been able to find. thank you for this, and hopefully I'll find more as I continue along

[@rogerrussell5743]

Alan G v Hu

[@sroberts605]

poignant? lol

[@djmmemories]

It's already been said over and over...But... This video is simply the best, very Nub friendly...thank you for making it

[@daisysdaily]

Thank you for taking the time to make this very comprehensible and illustrative tutorial. Much appreciated!

[@richardgreen98]

I am thinking of taking up sailing as a hobby and I was looking for a basic understanding. I found your video informative and educational. But then I realized I sailed Yeadon Pond about 60 years ago with my toy sail boat. I guess it's the circle of life ?

[@Harish-ou4dy]

apparently, others were just pretending to know what this video covered in 10 mins. it was simple curiosity, how did ships sailed back then and YT is full of so much bullcrap about this. thanks for the video.

[@FWtravels]

Best sailing explanation video I've seen. Very clear and straight forward. Thank you!

[@marazultours]

Great sailing tutorial, nice voice and perfect explanation and pictures. Thank you!

[@honeststan]

Been thinking about learning to sail. Most of the online information so far almost had me not bothering. Simple no nonsense explanation which made complete sense. Thankyou so much for doing this, has really given me a bit of confidence to move forward, really great, can't thankyou enough.

[@lovemrj4ever]

Very nicely done! Also, the narrator’s voice is very calming. Thank you for this video.

[@PanchoPont]

Super clear and concise video!! Excellent stuff!

[@onthebeaches]

Well..well..well..I finally learned something from a sailing technical video! THANK YOU! I've been trying to discover the difference between tacking and Gybe and here it is. Makes perfect sense! Thanks again!!! This will help me ACE my sailing class. Ü

[@shamuswint4575]

Brilliant. At last I've grasped the concept. This explains it perfectly. Many thanks.

[@KathrynKimbley]

Wow! What a fantastic video!!!! Thank you ever so much!!!! I did my RYA Level 1 a few yrs ago & still didn't understand the concept in relation to wind. This has just really cemented it for me! I'll probably watch it a few more times but it's made more sense than anyone else's explanations have! Thank you again!!! (Definitely saving this video for future ref!)

[@timburnett8192]

I offered the interactive app to some representatives at the RYA some years ago and they said they weren't interested :) Thanks for watching!

[@annetteayala8084]

Love the program you're using. Excellent and very well explained . Thank you.

[@gsansoucie]

Agree with the previous comment, this has to be the best starting video for sailing I've ever seen. I only wish I'd started with this one ;-) Thank you.

[@rachaelsanders5518]

Excellent video. Well explained too

[@adilbouifrouri4853]

BRILLIANT AND SO SIMPLE !!! THX A LOT

[@sandranielsen844]

So simply explained with lovely lack of self importance

[@waltmcivor3561]

Thank you, Thank you. Best You Tube intro to Sailing so far.

[@mikeg8335]

Absolutely excellent presentation and content.

[@BandiGetOffTheRoof]

Best Sailing video on KZbin for neophytes like me.

[@doctorcrypto3048]

Another fantastic instructional video

[@yaudavid3659]

this course is really cool and clear !

[@psmithrpm]

Brilliantly explained. Thank you!

[@AliHaider-fp6uq]

Thank you very much...you are the best teacher for me on this topic♥️🌹🌻🌷❤️

[@sailingokaliptus]

This was so helpful! We've been sailing our little Catalina 22 for a year now and have taken a few ASA classes, but this video made a lot of sense and I learned from it. If you have one that includes how and when to use your traveler, I'd love to see that because I'm not sure we are doing it completely right and could use some pointers.

[@YeadonSailingClub]

Using a traveller is a bit more advanced and is more relevant to yachts than dinghies but the essence is the same as the main sheet - If the main (sheet) is in then the traveller should be near the centre, if the main is out then the traveller should be out (although there is more leeway here as the sail position is set by the main). The difference comes when tacking and, in particular, gybing as you use the traveller on a yacht to enable these processes.

[@mattlindquist4304]

This is an excellent video, so easy to understand. Thank you!

[@scubamarilu]

Thanks, worked in a marina for 5 years and no one was able to explain me this.

[@seryenai]

Excellent video with clear, thorough explanation at a good pace

[@timmccarthy1332]

Down to earth and understandable many thanks

[@YeadonSailingClub]

Thanks for the compliment.

[@guillermogonzalez9113]

Great video, best explanation I've watched

[@oatmeal63]

yeadonsailingclub excellent explanation! From the class to the water and back to the class. Well done

[@jimmydavis1151]

Wish you were in the states I'd gladly pay you for sailings lessons

[@MichaelJohnson-]

I just bought a 27' Ericson. Thank you for the video.

[@MunaKhattab]

Brilliantly put together. Thank you.

[@lindatudball4555]

Great video. Very clear diagrams and explanations. I will be referring to this a lot!

[@tamasbiro1766]

Very nice, well done! Best summary I have seen! Thanks for sharing.

[@evgenys177]

Wonderful presentation ! many thanks !!

[@Livingdocumentaries]

Really helpful for a complete beginner like myself! Thanks for posting this.

[@karinareno1833]

Excellent - to the point. Thank you.

[@hydra09minecrafteer]

Beautifully done and very understandable. And I’ll admit, the rather soothing voice helps as well :)

[@FORKinFISH]

Very well put together, thanks for putting the effort in.

[@DannyvanKooten]

Brilliant. Thanks so much for putting this out here!

[@wishicouldshowmyname5815]

Thanks for the video. Especially the graphics. I bought the Dummies Guide to Sailing book and it was horrible. You did an excellent job.

[@addingtonscout6607]

us 1st port natal sea scouts this video help us a lot for the scouts to know what to about sailing thanks verry much

[@kevinyu6113]

It really helps me understand how to sail a sailing boat, thanks bro

[@fergluis]

Thank you for the class.

[@judahparker9684]

Took a sail boat out today for the first time and realized I needed some training. Now I feel I can try again, hopefully with better results!

[@gregorywebster6640]

Now that's guts! I'm lost in a book and wish I could just get out there and learn

[@BilgemasterBill]

Thanks for taking the time to post this up here. Also, that 'Sail Board' program you have linked to is a superb little online tool to illustrate the different points of sail, tacking, gibing, etc. I'll have it and this video bookmarked on my onboard laptop for guests aboard our little Macgregor 26X curious about what's going on. As a modest gesture of sincere thanks I was just gonna toss a dollar your way towards your new clubhouse by PayPal through your website, but the minimum donation's $2. So, OK...That's not a deal breaker: I can toss about a "quid" instead of a "buck" to our British cousins. But then there's no direct PayPal...Instead there's something called "Just Giving", requiring some new registration. Mindful of the high likelihood that should I register as a "soft touch" for philanthropic causes, henceforth my email will be clogged until the end of time with appeals from well-intentioned groups like "Rescue the Hedgehogs" or "Concerned Citizens Alliance for Safer Goats Milk," I am afraid I'll have to defer and leave you with my best wishes alone.

[@YeadonSailingClub]

+BilgemasterBill Hi, Thanks for the compliment on the video, if you are still interested in donating via paypal then please send money to: [e-mail], it would be very much appreciated.

[@jamesmoran5662]

Great video now I’m ready to sail around the horn

[@spivlisovyka]

Thanks, It was clear and easy to memorize.

[@asianbiker69canada]

excellent video! I understood your instructions.

[@izzyvelozwithwolfe-2244]

That was a great explanation. Thank you

[@melissahutchinson5346]

thanks i loved that really straight to the point made sense cant wait to get to rutland water to try a taster day thanks

[@YeadonSailingClub]

+Melissa Hutchinson How did you get on at Rutland water? Nice place to sail.

[@makeloveforpeace4337]

Loved it, thanks!

[@BigDaddyLee666]

Brilliant simple explanation. Thanks

[@ToddBryantsr]

Thank you! This is very best video for beginners.

Verry good and clear explanation. Thank you.

[@Johnnyhumbkr]

Great video! I learned a lot. Thanx!

[@nemo765]

Have no idea how I got here, but thanks, the instructions are clear:)